Post-game interviews

The word on Ryan McDonagh is he got hit in the onions, according to John Tortorella. So he’s OK. So is Ryan Callahan, who appeared to take one off the collarbone.

Walked in late on Paul MacLean’s presser, so I have only a portion of that. Brian Boyle would not discuss Matt Carkner or anything that happened in the first period, but took the blame for losing the draw on the winning goal.

Yeah I might be a little overly critical of Girardi, but I do think he has no business wearing the ‘A’ at is point. He has zero leadership ability, and when he is really needed to show mental toughness and get the ship turned around he doesn’t stack up. He will never be what Staal was before the concussion. Hope to see Staal have a good offseason and come back to lead the defense again, because Girardi can’t do it

Jobi-Wan, I wouldn’t say he has no leadership ability; I think his style of play leads well enough. But he makes too many idiotic mistakes for my liking, as good as the rest of his play is. So many of them come when he isn’t even being pressured. This team wouldn’t go much of anywhere without him, but, I think he needs to improve that area of his game big time.

latona
he basically said that (paraphrasing here) the sucker punch and broken nose that happened at the end of the game is the stuff that needs to be taken out after the game but the stuff in the corner (this is the part I liked) men looking men in the eyes and the stuff that followed, well that is playoff hockey!

I should say this. I was a decent enough athlete as a kid. I was small, though. All the kids were bigger, and more skilled. I made up for those shortcomings with my brain. I was the smartest player on the field, the court, whatever. I learned to play without making mistakes. I was no superstar, I didn’t do anything flashy or brilliant, but I got the job done. And so I am always going to be hypercritical of players who make a lot of mistakes, even if they do so much good.

Girardi, probably the 2nd most important guy on the team this year, after Callahan, is obviously a scrub. Who cares what his teammates and his coach have been saying about him all year. Jobi says so. The word of God (Avery).

I don’t think anyone’s safe from criticism, and I praised Girardi plenty in my posts. He’s been a great player for us. But if you can’t acknowledge he makes some pretty significant errors, I dunno what to say.

Not saying Girardi hasn’t been important this year. He’s made a ton of great plays this season. All I am saying is his brain fart moments have also been there, and have cost the Rangers on more than one occasion. Just so happens these moments have come a key points in games and ended up in the back of the net

Yea, MickeyM, I was just driving home from the game and heard on 1050 ESPN (can you believe they actually were talking hockey) that Carkner and Hags have hearings tomorrow. I couldn’t see the hit from where I sat. Was Hags hit on Alfredsson deserving of a major? (I’m serious)

Dudes, I’m not saying Girardi’s is perfect all the time. He makes mistakes, but then again so does everyone else. No player or person is perfect all the time. Unless you are stating that you are and in that case, let me get on my knees and kiss your ring, your GODLINESS.

looks like we’ll be seeing Kreider sooner than we thought. No chance Hagelin doesn’t get suspended, but you know what Alfredsson > Hagelin so we win there. Carkner is going to get at least a game and just a fine for Phillips.

Girardi has played 25-30 minutes a game, every game. He is a frisking horse. He is the backbone of this defense as it stands now. People are entitled to mistakes. Where would we be without him? He was an all-star this year. Geez Louise….

I’d love to see Girardi step up and make a good play with the puck when he has time, rather than flip to center after 10 min mark of third. I think we can all agree that the reason they lost is because they went into shell mode with waaaayy too much time left, and Girardi was right up there with the biggest offenders tonight of playing scared at the end.

So, Hags his was that bad, huh? After he hit him he immediately turned around and shrugged his shoulders, kind a like, that wasn’t so bad, was it, ref? I saw that part, just not how high and hard and how much of an elbow it was. Damn. Krieder time, looks like.

I think it was a 2 minute minor for elbowing. That’s all. It was a strange play to me, though, because it looked like both of his arms went up; if Alfredsson had been upright, it probably would have been a hands-to-chest sort of thing. But the elbow did make contact with the head.

Matty, I just thought that it was a small guy hitting a bigger guy way too hard into the boards. Most likely no intent, but it was too hard of a hit. Obviously I hope he isnt suspended but I cant blame the league if he is. Just hope that the fact that Alfredsson was already concussed once this year by a Ranger with no suspension dooesnt play a role in the ruling.

I was really hard on on girardi (OPG) last season. I absolutely hated how he always went on his penguin routine sliding out of position all the time on his stomach or on his knees, especially after his new large contract (hence OverPaid Girardi).

He has been far far better this season IMHO and if I had any complaint about him at all (every NHL D man is going to make mistakes and have goals scored against them with the talent in the NHL), it would be he needs to play meaner with more of an edge in front of his net and drop the gloves a few times.

Don’t know if it came across on tv, but the entire atmosphere was different tonight vis-a-vis Thursday night. Ottowa came out hard, in your face, and put everyone they could, trainer included in front of Henrik and fired away. They played a chippy, but smart road game and they matched the Rangers competitive spirit and even went beyond it. All season long we have been the team that checked hard and often. I don’t know the hit counts, but I would not be surprised if they had more than we did. Of course, we hit a post and a crossbar and had a goal go in off MDZ.

I don’t really get back on the Girardi subject, but I never had a problem with his defensive abilities. I really can’t remember him getting beat badly for a goal. I think he needs to make better decisions with the puck at times. He seems uncomfortable when he has the puck, but with a little more experience I do think he should improve in that department

I personally don’t think either hags or philips should be suspended or fined, but if you fine/suspend hags, how can you not do the same to philips (I think philips gets a game less because of the result which is totally bogus btw)

I kept asking on the go time thread about why one was a five and the other was not (i thought philips hit step not cally, my bad)

ive been saying all along that i dont want Kreider to play but honestly ill admit that Mitchell really hast done anything these 2 games, in fact i dont think ive seen him on the ice these 2 games. puting kreider in there maybe isnt such a bad idea. Yotes win!

I dont think Phillips should have had a major. It was the right call, a 2 minute minor. Look, if Prust or Rupp or Boyle give that hit to Alfredsson we are not talking about if they will be suspended but for how long. Carkner’s crap will be evaluated on a different level.

Totally agree. All Mitchell did tonight was take up a couple shifts on the 5 min pp doing absolutely nothing and then rode the pine 2nd and 3rd period. Even if it’s only a 25% chance that Kreider adds something to the offense, I’m sure he just as good at sitting on the bench as Mitchell

disagree on that wicky. first off bickel is definitely a much worse defenseman than girardi and sauer. sauer imo protects the crease the best from all the d-men. bickel is definitely the best actual fighter. perfect package would be girardi’s offense and defense, sauer’s crease presence, and bickel’s fists.

He seems like a gentleman playing D. A nice guy. Sometimes you do have to play pissed off.

I have been saying for a while we need a true defensive stopper. It’s one of the obvious flaws with this team. Sather should have addressed it over the summer. I hope he is told to do that (no, I don’t believe for a second he is smart enough to realize this need). To be a team that goes deep, amongst other things, we need a Beuke, a Chara, a big strong, stay at home, deck people if needed type d-man. That would free up Girardi to let him be who he really is. Don’t tell me Bickel is that. He’s not even close. Nor is McIlrath.

I favored having Mitchell in there because he at least showed some offensive presence and generated some kind of puck movement during the season, but he literally has been invisible. If there is no fear that Kreider can handle the defensive part of the game and can stand up for himself to Neil and Konopka he should get a look.

Maybe the kid lowers his shoulder and puts one of those guys on their butts’! Not like he is a small guy, so I think he’ll be ok. Assuming Hags gets suspended I would put in Kreider and Scott at this point. They can sit Mitchell for a game

The Rangers desired to lose. Without a doubt they were the inferior team and were lucky it went to OT. They were out-coached, out-played and physically intimidated.

The Carkner/BB incident wasn’t a fluke occurence. It was totally premediated. Carkner was dressed with the sole purpose of going after BB because of his rat-ta-ta punching of Karlson in game one.

The Rangers lost the game right there IMO because they never really addressed the Carkner action.

And the BB rat-ta-ta-ta move, lauded by so many of us, was a punkish move and something the Bruins, the Flyers and the Penguins do that if it was reversed would result in a billiion posts on here in protest because the Rangers motto is to play physical, but within the rules and only respond outside of the rules when the other side starts it.

For Ottawa, at least for game 2, it served as a rallying point, something to focus on. And dammit, they sure did. The Rangers did not respond.

Jim, I don’t disagree. The Rangers didn’t address the Carkner stuff. And I am not sure Bickel and/or Prust can address what he does. THere is only one guy that can. And he’s not much of a player, but he is John Scott.

With the second line change, Carkner can be out against anyone, if not suspended. That’s scary.

I dont want Prust going after guys like Carkner/Neil/Konopka, but that is what Rupp is for. Somewhat disappointing not to see him stand up to them, but I dont scratch him. Torts said that after Richards and Cally, Rupp is the most important guy in the room.

The way Ottowa came out tonight, they where the hardest hitting, check-finishing team we have seen all year. I know it’s not their MO, but they were tough. I’ll be curious to see how Torts handles this.

if the rangers rolled 4 lines consistently (not saying they should or shouldn’t), which they don’t, then I would definitely see the logic to not dressing him. Fact is, how is it going to hurt having him on the bench if 2/3rds of your 4th line only gets about 5 minutes each a game anyhow?

I may be old school (ok, I am) but i’d risk having him on the bench and getting five minutes a night just in case of “issues”.

As far as if he goes all weber or carkner on someone, well the message is sent (5 minute major or not) and you go from there.

Ragarding the refs, well, ugh. Can’t believe they watched Boyle get pummled on the ice and gave Dubi the boot for stopping the beating, which the officials should have done in the first place. The ref just stood there and watched. When Boyle is down on the ice like that, it’s no longer a hockey fight and bordering on assault.

The refs should have also blew the whistle a bit in the third, against both teams. Ottawa wanted the game to get out of hand, and the refs let it.

lev
If the coach doesn’t put him on the ice, he can’t do anything (unless he goes all goddard on someone). I’m not knocking torts here, but we can’t really criticize the guy if he isn’t seeing the ice.

Jim, I don’t disagree. This is the playoffs and your strengths and weaknesses become magnified. We HAVE been awful all most all year on the PP. Honest, I believe we will move beyond the Sen’s. We are better, but it will be a battle, mostly because we can’t finish them w/o a good PP.

The next round? The Dev’s scare the hell out of me. I don’t care what happened in the regular season. They have a PP. and a good PK. We don’t have a PP at all. Scary to me.

I don’t really think hank is playing poorly. Kick in wasnt his fault at all, and the second goal was a broken play at ended up right in front of net. Maybe he never really got back into good position for the last goal though. He got banged into a lot tonight, most from his own team

shows how f-ed up the NHL is. Hagelin has a hearing for his check and Carkner????????

the guy deliberately punched a guy numerous times and gets what a good ranger kicked out of the game.

I forgot if boyle got hurth then they would have a hearing……got it… forgot how friggin stupid the NHL is…..What a bunch of clowns.. the only thing dumber then NHL management is Jeremy Roenick.. Did he lose some IQ via some head hits? He is a friggin moron…………

Matty: I don’t think we should be thinking about the next round – the Sens stepped up tonight and showed that they are capable of winning this series (not sure if that was ever a doubt, but I think for many, after game 1, it appeared it was a given the Rangers would be victorious).

Didn’t hank have all sorts of bodies in the crease with him when he lost his stick and failed to cover the puck? I seemed to remember a lot going on in the crease it’s at play, but to be honest, I’m trying to block it all out, lol

what surprised me most tonight was that Ottowa had a good game plan, they executed well and they were well coached. They stood us up on the blue line on the PP. They got tons of guys in front of Henrik. They were fierce. They learned a lot from game one.

And hank played terrific when we needed him in game 1 to kee us ahead. The two goals he did give up would have been almost impossible to stop. Fact is the Rangers gave is one away. Failed on 5 min pp, kicked one in, then played timid for r final 10 min of regulation. If they don’t fail at all three of these, they most likely win

I do agree hank shouldn’t have gotten as rattled by contact before last goal. Seemed like he never got into good position for last one. Boyle lost a few face offs in a row at e point, all lost cleanly. Maybe should have tried someone else, just to change it up

Yes, and the post and cross bar, but that happens. The kick in, fail on PP, and soft play style at the end were completely within their control. I’m still surprised on some of the line combos for five min pp.

I agree with those who said our lack of response to carkner really hurt us tonight, and I’ll throw in our lack of response to Neil fighting a lesser fighter in Boyle, as well as some of Konopka’s antics. Ottawa came with the intention of roughing us up and we did nothing to stop it or to respond to it, and it is no coincidence that we lost the game. I like Prust and Rupp, but even with their limited ice time they should’ve responded. I don’t think it’ll happen, but I’d like to see Scott in game 3. For the ice time he’d get, I think its worth having the biggest dog in the fight on the bench and ready to go.

If anyone heard the Ottawa players in their room after the game, they clearly thought that the initial Carkner beatdown on Boyle had an effect on the outcome of this game – and there’s no doubt that our failure to score on the PP emboldened Neil & Konopka to goon it up later in the game.

Let’s not focus on one fan’s zealous takedown of Dan G.
There are nuances here, Miss M. Nuances.
I thought, and so did others all around the game, he
was a legit Norris candidate earlier this year.
And all without throwing a single rabbit punch (sometimes
I hear the resident comment-goon wishing Brian Leetch woulda
mugged old ladies outside the Garden after the games, y’know, or
roughed up Cub Scouts at Macy’s, y’know, just to show his edge),
a la Bertuzzi (gee, Goon, who was your hero, who gave you the
biggest vapors in that Bertuzzi/Weber brief match? whose brain
didja wanna see suffer the most lifetime damage?).
His problem, at least in part, was predicted way back then by folks
aware that there are certain time limits in the game, even for trophy
candidates – and Dan G was being pushed to those limits way too often.
Result: great daily work by Dan has been reduced to ok work, sometimes
not even that. The fall from January standards is considerable. The failure
of Marc to fully recover from his damage makes it even more noticeable,
when it was hoped he would be taking slack from the guys who worked
so hard and so well in his (and MS’s) absence.
The Rangers have been awful for months at clearing the zone; it has been
cited time and again, even during nice winning streaks, as playoff poison.
Dan, half-Dan as he now is, is one of the primary culprits. And most fans
don’t/won’t recognize he’s doing the best he can with the fuel available.
I predict he will continue to struggle this go-round; and I predict he will
be back to Norris level early next year, and may stay there, given ordinary rest.
And he won’t have to sucker punch, or cross-check a single adversary after
the whistle….

Rangers were bullied in game2, seemed to play scared… Lots of turning away from hits and giving the puck away to avoid the contact…. Richards was guilty the whole game.. they will need to regroup and come out battling in game 3.

If Hags get suspended (which I fully expect) put Dubi on first line and Kreider on third, with Scott taking Mitchell’s place to send a message. I expect Dubi to be go 1000 miles an hour after being tossed from game one for stopping the assault on Boyle while he’s laying on the ice and officials watched